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ave you ever run out of water? Imagine how thirsty you would be! You’d probably be upset and cranky.

Years ago God told Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses did. But they had a water problem. This is how it happened.

he Israelites were out of water—again. So they started complain-ing to Moses—again. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this desert?” they grumbled. “There’s nothing good to eat here. And there’s no water to drink!” They didn’t mumble about this just once or twice. Again and again they com-plained, their voices grow-ing louder and louder.

How many times had Moses heard that? In fact, the people had complained about having no water 40 years earlier. At that time God had told Moses to strike the rock, and water had gushed out. Gallons and gallons of water had poured out, and it kept pouring out from the rock as long as the people were there.

So here they were again without water. Instead of trusting God to care for their needs, they grumbled and complained. And Moses,

as he always did, turned to God for help. God told Moses to take his staff—his walking stick—and call his brother, Aaron. Then they were to gather all the people together.

“Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water,” God said. (See Numbers 20:6-8.)

Moses had been patient for a long, long time. But after 40 years of listening to the Israelites grumble, he’d had enough. He was

Numbers 20:1-13; Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 411-421Water From a Rock?Water From a Rock?

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Lesson

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The MessageWe worship God when we trust Him.

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angry. He was tired of their grumbling and com-plaining. Once more they were showing that they did not trust God. Moses was so irritated that he forgot that it was God who had caused all the miracles to happen. God had caused the water to flow out of the rock 40 years before. Only God could cause it to flow again. But Moses forgot. He felt he was the one who would make the water come from the rock.

“Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Moses yelled at the people. But he didn’t speak to the rock as God had commanded. He raised his arm and hit the rock twice with his staff. And God made the water gush out.

Moses may have felt quite pleased with himself for a moment. He’d probably wanted to yell at the people for a long time. And it may have felt good to hit that rock. But Moses had given the impression that the power to make the water flow had come from him and Aaron. So, God was dishonored. If Moses had obeyed, it would have reminded the people that although Moses was their leader, he got all his instruc-tions from God.

So God spoke again in His calm, gentle voice. “Moses, you did not trust Me. Not even enough to honor Me as holy in the sight of the Israelites,” God said. “Because of that, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

Immediately Moses realized what he had done. He, too, had forgotten to trust God. He had forgotten for a moment who was really leading Israel.

For 40 years Moses and Aaron had strug-gled in the wilderness. For 40 years they had

led God’s people. But Moses and Aaron could not go into the Promised Land. The Israelites had to learn that whoever their leader was, that person had to trust God completely and obey all of God’s instructions.

God wants us to honor and worship Him. He wants us to trust Him. He wants us to know that He will be with us every day. We worship Him when we do as He asks. And we worship Him when we trust His leading.

Memory Verse“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord . . . is the Rock eternal”(Isaiah 26:4).

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E AR D God created a waterfall when He provided water from the rock. If possible, sit near a waterfall and read the Bible lesson with your family. Find and read Isaiah 26:4 together.

OD Ask everyone to tell about a time they were discouraged. Did they trust God to help them? What happened? Ask God to help you trust Him more.

E AR D Read together Numbers 20:1-13. With the help of a family member, search the Internet or a book to find out why water is so important. List at least five things that your body uses water for. Find or draw pictures of someone without enough water to drink and someone who’s had enough.

OD Cut some rock shapes from cards or heavy paper. Print a word of the memory verse on each “rock.” (Get help, if you need it.) Scramble the “rocks,” then put them in order and read the verse to your family.

H KIT N Discuss these questions in family worship: In what situation might you grumble? If you don’t like something, what should you do? Read the following verses together: James 5:9; Psalm 142:1, 2; Psalm 37:7; Matthew 18:15; Proverbs 24:6.

OD Arrange your memory verse “rocks.” Read the memory verse aloud five times.

H KIT N In worship today, ask every-one to remember the last time they were angry. Have them tell what they did. Discuss: Why did Moses suffer so greatly because of his anger? (Read Numbers 20:12 together.)

OD Put your memory verse rock cards in order, then say the verse for your family.

OD At family worship, make a list of people you trust most, starting with the most at the top. Which of the people on the list are closer to you? Does trusting help you be closer to someone? Read and discuss Proverbs 16:20 together.

OD Say your memory verse to your family.

S A B B A T H S U N D A Y

M O N D A Y

T U E S D A Y

W E D N E S D A Y

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God kept our shoes and clothes from wearing out for 40

years! And we always had manna and enough water.

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OD During family worship, play “leading the blind.” Before worship starts, help set up an obstacle course somewhere inside or outside your home. When worship starts, blindfold half of your family members. Ask the others to be helpers. Each “helper” will lead the blindfolded partner through the obstacle course. Ask, “Did you trust your ‘helper’? What Helper can you trust most?” Read Psalm 118:6, 7 together. Ask your family to repeat the verse with you.

OD Show the memory verse rock you made in Sabbath School last week. Give each person a rock to hold. Then ask them to tell one way they can trust in God.

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OD During worship, find Kadesh on a Bible map. Have someone find its distance from Canaan. Measure this distance from your house to a town nearby. Tell your family this week’s Bible story in your own words. What lessons did you learn from this story?

OD Read Proverbs 3:5 together. Then sing “Trust in the Lord” (Sing for Joy, no. 111).

OD Show the memory verse rock you made in Sabbath School. Recite the memory verse to the person you show it to.

T H U R S D A Y

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NatureGod’s Second Book

We can find many les-sons from God when we study nature. Look closely and lis-ten carefully when you are outside. Ask your parent or teacher about what you see.

Study this picture. Find and circle these objects (some of which are hidden): cloud, fire, stream, Aaron’s rod in bud, rock, piece of wood.

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